City Council - Regular Meeting

It is now 3 PM on July the 23rd and I called this. Special meeting. Special City Council meeting to order. Let the record show that all council members are present. Council need a motion to approve the agenda. Council member Brown.

Move to approve.

Mayor Pro Tem.

Second.

Any discussion? All in favor? Signify by saying yes. All opposed, no. Motion carries seven to zero. We will now go into citizen comments. Citizens will have three minutes to speak with one minute allotted. for City Council to respond. Ms. City Attorney.

Jamie Carroll.

Good afternoon, ma'am.

Good afternoon, y'all. I wasn't prepared to go first. I want to highlight a couple of issues with what's going on. This is going to displace a lot of people. And I know we just had the meetings where we've got some budget issues. We're not going to maybe be able to fund as much as we like regarding homeless shelters, maybe even not building the new one. We're putting 200 people out. Are we ready to deal with 200 more? And if we're going to hammer this individual location, I can count at least 10 others that are kind of operating loosely the same with what I would call probably ultra low income housing. Because realistically, we all know low income housing. There's a huge gap. It's not meeting all the needs. There's people that just don't fit into the regulation for that, that still couldn't even afford it if they could get in. Not that we have enough of it anyway. If we count those people up across those locations in town, we're looking at like 2000. Are we ready for 2000 more homeless people? I mean, that's a, When our business model here is based off of building new houses, no one's going to build or no one's going to buy when we are flooding the streets with people that had a place to live but it just merely wasn't liked for whatever reason. I don't know a lot of the details surrounding that, but my main concern is I really want it considered. of how much this is going to displace within the community. And it's going to have a domino effect across the other properties that are serving under this same sort of model. We all know this is not travelers staying here. People are living in these places. And that is the only place to go. And the churches can't take on all these other people. Our community can't. I mean, it's just we've got a crack in the system here. We've got a business that's kind of filling it. And I'd like to look for a solution where we can work with these businesses as a solution, really, to the homelessness, where they're kind of taking on the brunt of the burden. It's not costing residents anything. any additional money, and we let them fit in. Whether that means we have to change zoning, we do like a conditional use permit, something. We need to find a way, let's just make it work. That's cheaper for everybody, and it benefits everybody overall. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Dr. Sue Neetze-Croft.

Good afternoon, ma'am.

Good evening, Mayor, city council members, and city staff. I'm here tonight regarding the critical certificate of occupancy dispute at Grace Street Square. I stand before you not to minimize code violations, not to excuse property neglect. Life's safety is non-negotiable. But we must look closely at exactly who will pay the price if this property is abruptly shut down. This is one of the very few low-income housing options available in our city. It houses up to 200 vulnerable Killeen residents, including disabled veterans, military veterans, and individuals who fought desperately to escape homelessness. If we displace them today, we will have nowhere to go but back into the streets. We do not have to choose between upholding the law and protecting our most valuable citizens, vulnerable citizens. Our own local laws provide a clear bridge. I urge the council and the building official to utilize section 31 to 38 of this clean city ordinance. This section explicitly grants the city authority to issue a temporary certificate of occupancy for partial occupancy of a building pending its completion. By leveraging Section 31 to 38, we can mandate a strict phase compliance agreement that forces the landlord to fix the property without forcing our neighbors into homelessness. By implementing an immediate 24-7 fire watch, If the unreleased infringements involve fire or life safety systems, the city can mandate that the owner immediately fund a certified round-the-clock physical fire watch. This drops the city's legal liability to zero, provides instantaneous protection for the citizens living there, and keeps everyone safe while repairs are actively being made. Then we're going to execute the phased occupancy. Under Section 31 to 38, the city can legally restrict occupancy only to specific wings or units that are deemed structurally sound while completely sealing off sections undergoing heavy tactical repair. enforce a closed repair escrow required owner to legally bond or escrow 110% of the repair costs up front. This gives the council an absolute guarantee that the plumbing, electrical, and building fixes will be completely under city oversight. City council members, a forced closure gives the city a technical legal... But it creates a devastating humanitarian crisis for clings of most vulnerable citizens. Using a phased TCO under Section 31 to 38 holds the landlord's feet to fire guarantees absolute physical safety through a dedicated 24-7 fire watch and keeps 200 low-income residents housed. Instead of spending taxpayer money in a lawsuit to overturn the Board of Adjustments, use Section 3138 to enforce a strict conditional temporary seal, which allows the building inspectors to regain control and force repairs honors the board's desire to keep people housed and keeps our most valuable citizens off the street. Also, there are CBD grants that can be used to help the owner of the building. And I forget what section it is. Thank you, ma'am.

Your time is up.

Thank you.

Thank you. City Attorney?

Michael Buckley.

Good afternoon, sir.

I'm Michael Buckley. I just got a few questions. I didn't find out about this until it was in the newspaper. Are you guys going to do anything to help anybody? Because we got a housing commission that ain't been open for years. I mean, you guys just want to lay everybody on the streets and stuff. And a lot of the people there are disabled like me and have mental, physical handicaps, all that stuff. And we need help, you know. Serious help. And you guys are telling us that the one place that helped us and made sure we didn't have to live on the streets is going to get shut down. I believe somebody said a parking lot or something. Give me a break. I mean, everybody's got to be human about this. I mean, this is the one place when it's thunderstorm now, I can open up my door and go, thank God. Thank God I got a roof over my head. When I went there, I couldn't even see. They helped me fill out the application and gave me a place to live. I mean, they were nice enough to help me when I really needed help. And I'm just saying, give them a break too because they were nice enough to help a lot of us because nobody else will help us. You know, think about that before you react. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. City Attorney?

Sherry Volpichella.

Good afternoon, ma'am.

Good afternoon, Mayor, members of the City Council, and fellow residents of Killeen. I'm standing before you today to address a critical issue that directly impacts the most vulnerable members of our community. The push to close down the 605 North Gray Street property, strip its certificate of occupancy, and displace the residents who rely on it. We must be clear about what is happening here. You want taxpayer dollars to be spent to hire an outside attorney specifically to revoke the property certificate of occupancy. We're talking about public money on legal fees to shut down a facility rather than using those resources to support real solutions for the people living there. And we are not talking about a handful of people. There are approximately 200 residents currently living at this property. For those roughly 200 neighbors, the 605 Gray Street property isn't just a building. It's their absolute last line of defense against living on the streets. We need to face the reality on the ground and clean. Affordable housing options are severely limited. For individuals and families living paycheck to paycheck, working minimum wage jobs, or surviving on fixed incomes, this facility provides a roof they can actually afford. For many, it's the only thing keeping them off the pavement while they work to get back on their feet. If this council moves forward with attempting to strip the CO without a clear compassionate transition plan, we're spending taxpayer dollars to actively create a tax, to actively create a homeless crisis. Closing the facility overnight will instantly push approximately 200 men, women, and children into our parks, cars, and doorways. The strain on our local shelters, emergency services, police departments, and community support networks will skyrocket immediately. Costing the city far more money in the long run, penalizing around 200 underprivileged residents and stripping away their only shelter is wrong. We cannot solve administrative or leadership disputes by throwing hundreds of Colleen's poorest residents onto the streets. I urge this council to take three immediate actions. One, halt the legal efforts to revoke the CO until a full assessment of resident needs and safety is conducted. Two, hold leadership accountable without destroying the vital housing capacity that nearly 200 of our residents depend on. Three, partner directly with local housing agencies and nonprofits to ensure every single resident has a secured, affordable alternative before any final enforcement takes place. Let's not use city taxpayer dollars. May I have 30 seconds?

Yes. Yes, ma'am.

Let's not use city taxpayer dollars to fund this displacement of approximately 200 of our own people. Let's prove that Killeen is a community that protects its residents and chooses real solutions over homelessness. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. City Attorney?

Tessa Quiett.

Good afternoon, Mayor, city council members, and city council staff. Downtown Killeen is generating profits for the city. And sometimes when money is involved, the inferior people are forgotten. My father lived in these apartments 20 years ago when he was trying to get back on his feet. And when he was ready to seek his independence again, I went and tried to help him get with the housing authority to find a place for him to live with his SSI. He's low income. He makes $12,000 a year, and that's it. They told us the waiting list was closed for a one bedroom that if he had somebody move in with him, then he could do too. But one bedroom was closed, all senior living, all apartments and temple Belton everywhere. We went back downtown. And he was like, let's try this place. They opened their doors with wide open arms for him. He can't use his hands. They're willing to treat him as a family. The first day he was moved out there, a church came and brought them all food. They cook for them. This is a family atmosphere down there. And this is the only place these people have to live. I know the appearance of this building has been brought up into question, but can you imagine the questions we're going to have when this building is shut down and 200 people are homeless on our streets? Downtown will no longer have profits because people aren't going to want to go down there. This is a place that they can have, that my dad feels safe living there, that my dad has his independence back, that is no longer living with people and is on his own and he is cared about. They all know each other. He's been there for two months and he walked in here and everybody was saying hi. They are a community. And it's not like they can just go out and find another place to live. I... can probably go find another place to live for myself. But there's no way that he can do that independently. And everyone deserves to be independent and have a place that they can call home without having to worry if it's going to get torn down or without having to worry where they're going to get food, where they're going to sleep the next day. I urge you to take in consideration the loved ones when you cast your vote. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. City Attorney.

Araceli Cook.

Good afternoon, ma'am.

Good afternoon. Okay. First and foremost, you elected and assigned the members of the board. And now because they did not adhere to your micromanagement ideology, now you find it going against them, going against your will. Let's think about the Michael Jackson song, The Man in the Mirror. Think about it. Hear that song and listen to it. On the other hand, it has been said that a city staffer member, and listen to what I'm saying. I don't have proof. I don't have a receipt with me in here. But it has been said that a city staffer member made a derogatory statement to the effect that, quote, they got to find something to do with those people. Who are those people? Can anybody answer me that? Because once again, we have a gentleman who has helped people, and you've already heard people speak, that they don't have the means that we have, or some of us have, or some of us that are above us have. So think about that when you make your decision. Once again, we have someone who forgot where they came from or grew up in a wealthy family that everyone else is below them, as our nation finds itself in troublesome times. Just because you want your name inscribed on a building or probably your pocket open for interest. I got the paper and I read the paper today. Apparently this gentleman has helped not only the homeless, not only the people that don't have the means, but some of you council members up there. He has donated to your campaigns. Now you're going to turn your back on him and his people that he has been helping? As you can see the gentleman in the wheelchair. Where are you going to put him? How would you like it if that was you and somebody was doing it to you? Think about it. Like I told you the last time in the other meeting, it can happen to us. Don't think you're above the law and or above whatever you want to think about. Don't think it can happen to you because the way our nation is right now, it can happen to anybody. You want to throw them out in the street? Look at yourself in the mirror. It can happen to you. Don't think it doesn't. And don't think it will. That's all I have.

Thank you, ma'am.

Gregory Cook.

Good afternoon, sir.

Good afternoon, Mayor, Council, staff. My name is Gregory Cook. I sit at home and I watch all your meetings, and I don't come down here because of all the riff-raff. But my wife and I, we decided we needed to get more involved. And some of you see us, and we in the corner standoffish because I'm the type of person that observes. I observe a person for their character. And a lot of these events that we go to, Like, for instance, when you had the big fire here in Killeen and all the residents was burnt out, you had people that took up for these people clothes, all kinds of items. My wife and I got involved. We donated brand new appliances and stuff toward this. This same place that you're talking about closing down, he opened his doors to the city of Killeen. It was a place for them to come and get those items. And every time my wife and I went there, I never saw not a one of you. Now, if you took an oath to represent the residents of Killeen, those people are tenants. They're not those people. They are tenants. And if you sit up here and you always say Team Killeen, they are part of Team Killeen. Putting them out the street will see all of you up there turning your backs on members of Team Killeen. Now, if you want everybody to be part of Team Killeen, you need to wrap your arms around Mr. Pastorelli and stop doing what you constantly sit up there and say is done to you. Stop attacking the man. Most of those residents down there live down there before most of these new buildings and businesses you have downtown. And you want to put these people out in the street just because you done built a new Bell County annex and you don't want the people coming to pay their bills to see what's downtown. This is home to these people. If that was the case, you could have put the Bell County annex anywhere. You could have put it anywhere. So all the money that's being granted, there is something I know you guys can do to help this guy. It's a lot of buildings downtown right now that people have renovated. They got more violations than you can shake a stick at. But nothing's happening to them. You just remember this. It's a lot of stuff that's happening in Washington, D.C. And the people that are speaking up are getting fired because the person in charge don't like what they got to say. Don't let Team Colleen be just like Washington, D.C. Can I get an extra minute? Yes, sir. Most of you sitting up there are church-bearing people, military people. How can you turn your back on these people and put them out in the street? That's really going against the oath that you took. I took an oath 40 years ago to serve in the military, and I did 39 and a half years. And when your kids come to me as a leader in the military, it's my job to make sure they come back home to you where they have a home to come back to safely. So as you guys taking an oath like I did, it's up to you to make the right decision when you go behind closed doors on helping this gentleman. Because you can't see the building from your house at night. That don't mean these people need to be in the street. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. City Attorney.

Paul Horn.

Good afternoon, sir.

Good afternoon, Mayor, everybody. Thank you. I was going to say just a couple of things. I live at 605 Gray. Me and my girlfriend, we were homeless. He had just bought the building like a month before we moved it. Sorry. And my girlfriend have a 20 plus year history. She has asthma. She has four stints in her heart from a heart attack back in 15. And she's on a sleep apnea machine. If we got put on the street right now, she would not live. Think about that. Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

She wouldn't make it this summer, man.

City Attorney.

Emily Lopez. Yes.

Camille Lopez. Good afternoon, ma'am.

Nice to see you. How is everybody today? I've been living at 605 North Gray for a good few years with my husband. If it wasn't for Mr. Passarello, honestly, me and him would be homeless and living on the streets. I probably would not even survive with being epileptic of 20 years. That place is a lifesaver. Mr. Passarello does a lot for all of us. He also does a lot of church events, which I do help out with. That place has saved our lives. It has saved a lot of people's lives. There's a lot of disabled people there. There's a lot of people with families. If it wasn't for him, we all would be stuck on the streets. We all would be homeless. A lot of us would probably even be dead. That place may not look the best, but like a lot of people have said, there's a lot of different eyesores around there. It's home. It's been my home for years. There's people there that I love. I call family there. There's been so many people that have helped me when I've had my seizures there. They already knew what to do, especially when I've had the seizures. Like I had one a few months ago that literally my heart stopped and everybody thought I wasn't going to make it. I'm proud to be there. Regardless of how it looks, I'm proud that I'm there. I got my family there. I got people right here that I consider my family. I got people right there. I got everybody there. All I gotta do is look at people and say, hey, they already know if I don't feel good, first thing they do is go and grab my husband. I got people I can trust with my life there. And I'm proud of it. If y'all, like they said, if y'all tear this place down, imagine if it was y'all in our situation, where the hell would we all go?

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. City attorney.

John Thomas Hahn.

Mayor, council members, city staff. My name is JT Hahn and I'm with armor of God outreach on Gilmer street. And, um, we feed every Thursday at, um, the Second Street Park, Green Avenue Park. And a lot of the family members that come across from the apartments come over to our, as we feed. And I've got to know this young lady, Jamie Sigler, and she's 27. She's got a daughter that's 11. And she's so scared right now because she found another place, but it's $1,875 for deposit, first month's rent, and all the stuff to move. And then she can afford the $500 a month that it's going to cost for the rent and the $150 for electric and water, but she can't afford to move. And I know that the feeling of we have to protect this building, this building has to come up to code to protect these people in case of fires. I'm a builder. I understand those things. I understand codes and things like that. But I do ask that you please, please, please consider Maybe doing a temporary CFO. Let's get a plan together. Let's get a team together. Let's find housing. Let's find things because we are already growing in numbers with our unhoused population. And if there's any way that we can build a team together to start finding homes or places while we help this gentleman get up to code. I think that that would be a lot better opportunity for our city for downtown for the residents of this place and I Don't understand really how it's not in the historic district and it is and the grants and all that stuff because that's not me But I do understand that there we're going to be looking at needing to house a lot of different people so I'm all for spearheading it. If, if several of you want to, however many y'all can be on this, this committee, but let's work together to, to, to help, uh, not just put these people out and them, lose their families, lose their security, lose their housing because unfortunately I house a lot of people that only have $1,000 a month in Social Security. They can afford 550 all bills paid but they can't afford anything else. I really believe if we could start finding more housing like that, we can really fix the unhoused population in Killeen, Texas and Central Texas. So thank you for your ear.

Thank you, sir. City Attorney?

Gail Perez.

Good afternoon, ma'am.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. Lawrence is a great person. He was in the military as well. He has given to charity. He does Christmas presents for the whole community. Anybody that will bring their child, he has a present for. He's done that for over three years now. either in this location or a different location that he owns. And he is the heart of Killeen. He helps people. He loves people. And he loves on people. He loves his family. He's a Catholic Christian man. And we don't need to make people homeless. If there's code violations, again, like Mr. Construction Guy said, let's help him get those up and running. Whatever it is, we have to not have more homeless people than there already are. Right now, it's over 100 degrees outside, 115 with the heat index. Those people can die of heat strokes from being outside. So there's already enough people that are homeless. Let's not contribute to that anymore. I know Lawrence has done everything possible to make many houses in Killeen livable, buys them, reconstructs them, and makes them livable for people and affordable. So please counsel and mayor. He is helping the community, and I wish I could do more, but I do have to speak my piece because he is a great man, and the people are great, too. And we have to believe that. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Thank you, Tony.

Ana Luisa Carrillo-Tapia.

Good afternoon, ma'am.

Buenas tardes. Good afternoon, everybody, Mayor, City Council, extended family. I am a resident of Killeen. However, today I stand before you as a representative of LULAC, League of United Latin American Citizens. We have Latino community that has worked, also that does live in these apartments, and we need to Instead of boring you with repeating everything that has been said, Mr. Passarelli would be a great member of the homeless outreach team. Chief Kimball, you started that because you saw the need. Every one of you, we've had conversations about the need that we do have. I attended a meeting last week where a committee, a respectable group of volunteers, volunteers went and served and respected the will of the speakers. And then now, a week later, here we stand again as though their decision, their knowledge, their wisdom is not worth anything. I ask that you honor that. I ask that you remember the motto, dedicated service for everybody, right? Who is the exception of everybody? Who do we forget when we say dedicated service for everyone? Who are we forgetting? Please, let's not make the population that is already challenged right now the temperature that it is. We're concerned about leaving our pets outside in this heat. You can even get a ticket for having your dog outside in this heat. However, we're forgetting about our brothers and sisters. Every one of us has been to church. Every one of us can quote a scripture. where let's extend a hand to our neighbor, whether they're home, they have a roof over their head or not. Please, let's take care of each other. Let us not forget there is a war going on in the Middle East. However, we're serving one right here within our neighborhoods. We need to take care of each other. Let's make sure that when we talk about dedicated service, It's not, let me ignore you, let me forget that you exist. Let me make sure that my air conditioner is working, and let me forget that you're over there standing in the middle of the heat with nothing to eat and nothing to drink. However, these individuals that have one income, having one income does not make you a criminal. It means that you're Livelihood is challenged. It means that perhaps you have a husband, a wife, or you're taking care of your older parents or a friend or a life partner, and you can only hold one job, and that person can't. It means that that medication is being split in half to make sure that they're taken care of so that you're not having to plan. May I have one minute, please?

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you, and I honor that. People who have challenges is not because they choose them. They do choose to live in the city of Killeen because at one time they were welcomed here. At one time they were military, they retired their teachers, they came back. And then here we are, you have a challenge. Well, let's reach over, let's extend that olive branch and say, you are welcomed here and I will serve with you. I will not turn my back on you. We used to serve over at Moss Rose, we used to serve our neighbors cuz I don't like the word. homeless. They are still our neighbors. Whatever their address is, Gray Street, next to the public library, whatever, wherever they're at, they're still our neighbors. Let's band together as community. Let's help Mr. Passarelli, and let's take care of our community. Let's draw the line. Let's stay here. Let's meet up at this line. Let's take care of each other. Please. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. City Attorney?

Patsy Bracey.

Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor, City Council. I know that a lot of us are an inch from being homeless. I could have been in that same category. And why I am not homeless is because I have an education. I am offering. my service to any individual in this room that is Medicaid certified. that has not performed a felony, is 16 years old, to provide them with nurse aid training. I have the license to do that. I have the license to provide them employment outside of nurse aid training. I set up jobs for them. If they are willing to take that, I have one program that Medicare, anybody in here that's Medicaid certified, the state will pay for it through Medicaid. And if they are willing to give up 180 hours and come to training, I'm willing to provide it for them.

Thank you, ma'am. City Attorney.

Condes Cooper.

Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor, City Council, City Manager, and City Attorney. To everyone here in the audience, so obviously my name is Condis Cooper. I am the Chair for the Main Street Board for the City of Killeen. I am the President for the Downtown Clean Merchants Association, and I'm a property owner and business owner for 308 East Avenue D. So obviously, There was a lady that spoke earlier, Ms. Sherry, and then the gentleman from Armor of God. They mentioned amazing points. So what I wanted to come up here is to make sure that people in that space, to all of you guys, business owners are not anti-you. We're not. We want to make sure. that every building in there is up to code. A lot of them have already mentioned the point that this has been operating as a residence and not as a hotel per their C of O. But the gentleman mentioned an option and she kind of mentioned those three point stance is if there is a process and a program that can be created to help them become compliant in whatever that service is that they need to provide. 200 residents are not what we want to see vacated out of their homes. We don't want to impede on another business owner who is doing things in the community. But a lot of us know that when we purchase these buildings downtown, whether you're a tenant or a property owner, many of us bought these buildings without knowing what was behind the walls. So I know how you feel peeling back a sheetrock and not knowing that there's asbestos in the entire building. But that is something that all of us downtown were required to do. We purchased these buildings and we are responsible for making sure that the property is safe, that it was secured, that it followed compliance, that it followed all the code enforcement. Whether we were Financially able or not, a lot of people have to understand that us as business owners, corporations don't own downtown. The city doesn't own downtown. We are your neighbors as well. My life savings and some have gone into the property that I have. I have been without clients for an entire month at one point in time. And so living paycheck to paycheck is not something that us as business owners are excused from. It is something that hits us all. So yes, I could be in you guys' situation as well. So I implore you guys to see what kind of programs they are. Unfortunately, that building does fall outside of what the state, the state of Texas designated the historic district for Killeen. So it falls outside of what is considered the historic district as well as the main street. But it doesn't mean that the community can't continue to come together, that council can't consider a process. Because I can't imagine the bill it would take to bring that building up to code. But you guys as council, if you excuse one property without at least building a system, it gives the opportunity for every other property going forward to bring up this same very issue. So it is a compliance issue that you do have to address. but there is a humane process that could be created in assisting because with that Main Street designation, there are criteria that we have to maintain. Can I get one more minute? Awesome.

Yes.

There is a process that we have to maintain. There are check marks and benchmarks that we do have to hit as a city. Progress is going to happen. A lot of us as business owners, we are getting, some of us might even get end up getting priced right out of our community. And that's just the process of revitalization. So on behalf of the downtown business owners, I want you all to know we don't want you shut down because it's not the prettiest building. There's a building on my street. I would really love for them to power wash it. But so we're not anti you. But there is a way that I feel like if we can come together as a city. You brought up some great points, ma'am, right here. If there is a way that we can come together as a city, build a process, build a program. But understanding that there is should and has to be a left and a right stop. Thank you guys for your time.

Thank you, ma'am. City Attorney?

Laura Pimentas.

Good afternoon, ma'am.

Good afternoon. Hi, it's Laura Pimentel. Hello, everyone. I just want to say I moved in about five years ago, and honestly, I wasn't sure about this building either. I was like, oh, my God, I was hearing things, listening to terrible things, and I said that's why I got to stop listening to things. But then as I've been living here the last few years, I've seen some amazing things, and I understand what that lady was talking about. property and all that stuff and it has to be in with the city. I understand all that. But the only thing I'm trying to say is Since I've been here, it is like a home, one home, because like how Ms. Lopez, when she gets sick, how we all come together for one person, and how I could definitely not live anywhere else if I didn't have this place. My landlord, I used to think, oh, he's just an absentee landlord. I never see him. I never see him. But you know what? That's not true. He does Bible study with us. If you're willing, he's willing. So the point is, there's gotta be some point where if we're willing to meet him halfway on things, maybe we can help as tenants. Maybe there's something we can do. We have that armor of God opening up, and I volunteered there the other day. I only got a little time to do that, and it felt so good. So if you give people a chance sometimes, To do something for their landlord, for their living space, their church, just you never know sometimes. It'll make people get motivated and want to do more. Because I know his workers love working for him, and that's because he treats them well. So if you treat your tenants well, they love staying there. And that's what it is. As bad as people say it is, I love being there. So that's all I got. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. City attorney?

No other persons are signed up to speak.

council any comments we will pursue we'll go now into executive session and that's in the pursuance to the texas open meeting law vtca government code 551.001 the mayor now calls a closed meeting of the city council on the 23rd day of July at 3.43 p.m. under the following authority. Section 551.071, consultation with Attorney, discuss and consider taking legal action regarding the Board of Adjustment decision overturning the building official's decision to revoke the certificate of occupancy for 605 North Gray Street, Killeen, Texas. Agenda item DS-26-069. We will now go into executive session. Special meeting is now back in order, back from executive session at 529, July 23rd, 2026. No action was taken in executive session. Council, What is the desire of the council? Council Member Bass.

City Attorney, can you remind us what the options here are on the motion?

You have the option to take no action at all on this item. It is on the agenda to take action to file a petition to reverse the BOA's decision, so you could take that action as well. So no action, or you could move to file a petition to reverse the BOA's decision.

Mayor, I would like to make a motion to file a petition to reverse the decision of the Board of Adjustment.

Okay, so motion has been made. Is there a second? Is there a second? Council Member Kimball?

I second that motion.

It's been seconded by Council Member Kimball. Is there any discussion? Council Member Brown?

My vote's going to say more than I am in words, but I will say that I highly disagree with taking legal action against a board that we have appointed who has made a decision based on hearing from both sides.

Mayor Prokhtim.

Thank you, sir. Thank you, council. So this is a very complicated decision. A complicated issue and so every one of us wants the same thing when we leave our homes each morning and that's to know that our families are safe and our children have a future and our community is a place where hard work can lead to better life. The vision cannot be long only to those who've been fortunate. It must be to every single resident, especially those who are working tirelessly to make ends meet, raising children on limited outcomes. caring or aging parents or facing circumstances they've never expected. Our hopes are no different. Their hopes are no different. We are all one. As your council member, I believe that we have a responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of every single member of our community. But true leadership means looking beyond today's challenges and building tomorrow's opportunities. Safety is more than police and fire protection. It is a child walking confidently to school, a senior feeling secure in a neighborhood, And it's also apparent knowing there's a pathway to a good paying job. It's a young adult believing that where they start life, it does not determine where they finish. So we cannot choose between compassion and accountability. We have to have both. We must invest wisely in education, workforce and training and small business, growth, mental health resources and neighborhood revitalization. And it truly takes a village. I've said this time and time again from this dais. I've made all calls to our community from this dais. We must remove the barriers that keep people trapped in cycles of poverty. while creating opportunities that allow families to build stability, independence, and generational success. So while I heard the stories of every single person here, and I've heard more across my community, I lift those who are struggling and continue to support them in every single way and support our community coming together to support those people as well. Every family needs to find stability that makes their neighborhood safer. before coming to this meeting and I'd like to can I please ask for another minute from council before coming to this meeting I specifically took time to engage my community and I contacted my engagement unit that was started with the help of Chief Kimball at the time my engagement team was a hundred percent in support of community collective coming together, and should something happen, I don't know what's going to happen today, but should something happen, they were willing to come together and work collectively as a united force to help any type of transition, should there be one. The chair of Central Texas Homeless Coalition also agreed to assist along with community members. Also, the Atrium, Armor of God, other ministries, organizations, we heard LULAC, and hats off to the citizen who said there's opportunity for increased employment and education and training. That's exactly what we need to be able to create ourselves upward mobility for our citizens, to be able to create pathways and opportunities.

The time is up, ma'am.

Thank you.

Council Member Nash-King.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Council. I want to thank the residents for coming out and speaking. Also, I want to commend Council Mayor Pro Tem for going beyond to talk to different agencies to assist. One of the things, regardless of how the Council would vote, I'm not sure. I want to make it clear. Yes, I have spoken to both owners of this slash hotel slash apartment. And I did receive a donation, but because someone donate to me, that doesn't control my vote. I'm for the law and stand within the law on all issues. And the one thing I want people to understand that no matter how the council vote up or down, I'm not sure, but we are not putting out anybody. If there are violations that are being violated, regardless when it started, It's the owner's responsibility to keep those house, a home, it's a resident, an apartment or a business. It's the owner's responsibility to keep it up to date. And so we're not, because if I care about you, I'm going to ensure that the violations are being met because you do pay me a fee to live there or rent there. IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AND MY OWNERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT I FOLLOW THE REGULATIONS BECAUSE SAFETY IS FIRST. AND IF THE CITY IN ANY KIND OF WAY REGARDLESS OF HOW THE COUNCIL VOTE CAN SET UP SOME KIND OF AT THE ACTIVITY CENTER AND BRING IN DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT OWN THESE BUSINESSES TO GIVE THEM WORK WITH THE RESIDENTS IF THEY GO THAT WAY. AND IF THEY DON'T GO THAT WAY, All are no laws, but the law is black and white, and it's the owner's responsibility for the upkeep of any facility, just like the city of Killeen. We're responsible for this building to keep it updated and any other business. So the city council is not putting anyone out. It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that all code violations are met. And I do have my greatest empathies and sympathies, and I hope this work out, and it will work out for everyone if we just work together to see what solutions that we can come up with regardless if they vote up and down. Thank you.

Council Member Kimball.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. First of all, I want to thank everybody that came out this evening. Thank you for your comments. Thank you for the stories that I've heard before and some of the stories I heard for the first time. For those that I've been here since 2017, it was mentioned during the comments that I brought the homeless outreach team with me. It's one of the things that I started and it's still going strong today. We have a lot and it's expanded. So the last thing I want to do is to make anyone else homeless. But one of the things the tenants also have is to be fair and impartial. The oath I took back in 1991 is something that I tried in my policing career and now as my time as a city council member to be fair and impartial. And I think regardless of how the council votes today, I think at least I will be doing it with in fairness and impartiality. And when I take all things considered, all things considered, I as a safety professional will always go on the side of safety. I will take people's safety, no matter how your status in life or your rank or whatever. Safety, to me, is one of those number ones factor. And any decision that I make will be based on that safety protocol. And I will be bringing that same energy to make sure that whatever how the vote comes, working with community partners, working with city departments, working with whoever wants to make sure that those who may be left homeless or needs a place to stay, that same energy, I will bring that to make sure that the citizens are taken care of. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Council. Thank you, citizens.

Mayor Pro Tem. Sorry, I just needed to continue my statement, please. We must remove barriers that keep people trapped in cycles of poverty while creating opportunities that allow families to build stability, independence, and generational success. When we lift those who are struggling, we do not weaken our community, we strengthen it. Every family that finds stability makes our neighborhoods safer. Every young person who discovers opportunity becomes tomorrow's leader. Every resident who succeeds contributes to the prosperity of us all. The question before us is not whether or not we can afford to invest in people. The real question is, can we afford not to? History will not remember us forever. the debates we had, it will remember us for the lives we changed, the doors we opened, and whether or not we had the courage to act when our community needed us most. As we're moving forward in this situation, unified and not divided, I just want to make sure that we understand that solution-driven decisions are extremely important. And so I laid those before you. In the event, even still, even in the event nothing happens, there is an opportunity to work with our engagement team, the chair and the Central Texas Homeless Coalition, multiple property owners because one of our constituents made a statement about the cost. I've spoken to several property owners who are willing to forego deposits, who are willing to work with eviction statuses and Other terms that prevent those barriers that prevent people from renting. There are several property owners I've had conversations with that said absolutely they would help. We have to also look at not just saying in this moment, but how do we create mobility for our citizens to move forward? Thank you again to the citizen who created the opportunity for upward mobility for financial opportunity for financial gain for the career. So whatever happens today, today is not the end-all, be-all. You have to know that you can do more and you can be more and know that the community is standing ready to come together with those resources to help whoever is willing to take it.

Thank you. Okay. All right. If there is no more discussion, city attorney, would you repeat the motion, please?

Motion on the floor is to file a petition to reverse the Board of Adjustments decision.

Okay, what is the will of the council? You all in favor? Yes. All opposed, no. Motion carries six to one. Okay, I need a motion. We need a motion to adjourn. But we're at the point of motion to adjourn. Point of order.

Mr. Mayor, point of order. There is a motion and a second on the floor.

There's a motion on the floor to adjourn.

Discussion.

So who seconded it? Council Member Bass, checking in. Discussion on that motion.

On that motion to adjourn, I think one of the council members has a discussion item. Go ahead.

I just wanted to say that before we adjourn, we want to reassure everybody that the action that we have decided on today has no immediate impact on anybody staying at 605 North Gray Street. It may eventually have an impact. It may eventually not have an impact. But there is nothing immediate that will happen as a result of this. So we don't want anybody to be panicked thinking that they have to be vacated from the building immediately. That was the reason I requested we didn't adjourn first. Thank you.

Okay, if there's no more discussion in reference to adjournment, all in favor signify by saying yes. All opposed, no.